Door construction



y 1938- R. J. OLANDER DOOR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001". 15, 1934 July 19, 1938. R, J. QLANDER 2,124,040

DOOR CONSTRUCTION Fiied Oct. 15,- 1934 4 Sheets-Shet s July 19, 1938. R. J. OLANDER DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 13, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lnvenior Roland J Olander ,54 M tt Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES DOOR CONSTRUCTION Roland .li. ()lander, Chicago, lill., assignor to W. H.

Miner, Inc, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application October 13, 1934, Serial No. 748,154

18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in door construction for railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a sliding door for railway cars having means associated therewith for forcing the door partly open or tightly closed and fastening the door in closed position.

Another object of the invention, is to provide in combination with a sliding door having supporting rollers thereon, means for either prying the door partly open or forcing the same tightly closed, wherein the operation of said means also causes the rollers to be brought into operative position to support the door or to be withdrawn from said operative position to permit the door to rest on the usual supporting tracks on which the door is slidable.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide in combination with a sliding door normally supported by rollers, manually operated rotary means for either forcing the door tightly closed or prying the same open, which manually operated rotary means also serves to actuate mechanism for displacing the rollers to either withdraw the same from supporting position with respect to the door, or project the same to the normal supporting position, wherein the means for displacing the rollers comprises connected swingable arms on the outer ends of which the rollers are rotatably mounted and wherein the means for forcing the door closed or prying the same open includes a rotary crank arm on the rotary operating means, and a link pivoted to the car wall with which the crank pin of the crank arm is engageable, and wherein the rotary operating means is in the form of a vertically disposed shaft or bar having a radial lug engage able with one of the swingable arms to actuate the same upon rotation of said shaft.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is an elevational view of the side wall of a car provided with a door opening and a sliding door for closing said opening, illustrating my improvements in connection there- With, the car wall being broken away in said view. Figure 2 is a broken vertical sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 22 of Figure 1, said view being on an enlarged scale. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, also on an enlarged scale, partly broken away, corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3, but show- (Cl. Elli-22) ing the parts in a different position. Figure 5 is a broken vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 55 of Figure 1, said view being on an enlarged scale. Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substan- 5 tially to the line 5-6 of Figure 3. Figure 7 is a broken View, in elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the mechanism shown at the bottom of Figure l, but illustrating the rollers in projected door supporting position. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure '7, but showing the parts in a different position. Figures 9, l0, and 11 are horizontal sectional views, corresponding respectively to the lines JS and illill of Figure 8, and ii--H of Figure 7'.

In said drawings, 20 indicates the side wall member of a railway car, the wall being provided with the usual door opening it, which is adapted to be closed by a door 22 slidingly mounted on the usual top and bottom tracks 2323. The door shown in this instance is of metal type and has longitudinal reinforcing corrugations 2 l2l. The bottom track 23 is provided with a longitudinally extending downturned outer flange 25 for a purpose hereinafter described.

My improvements comprise broadly a vertically disposed rotary operating bar or shaft A; a crank member B on the upper end of the shaft; an upper supporting bracket C for said shaft; a retaining link D swiveled to the side wall of the car; an operating handle lever E on the shaft; housings F and G secured to the outer side of the bottom portion of the door; a pair of pivoted roller supporting arms H and J mounted in the housings; a pair of door supporting rollers KK; and a rod M connecting the arms H and J.

The operating bar A is mounted on the door adjacent to the left hand edge of the same as viewed in Figure 1. At the upper end, the bar A is rotatably supported by the bearing bracket C. As most clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, this bracket comprises a platelike section 25 having a U-shaped outstanding bearing portion 21 provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical interior bearing seat. The plate section 26 of the bearing bracket 0 also has an upstanding portion 28 which fits the corresponding corrugation 2 3 of the door. The upstanding portion 28 terminates in a horizontally disposed outwardly pro- 50 jecting shelf 29 for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The bearing filler block 3% is disposed within the U-shaped section of the bearing bracket C and has a semi-cylindrical curved seat which, together with the curved seat of the sec- 55 tion 21, forms the complete cylindrical bearing for the upper end of the rotary operating bar A.

The crank member B, which is on the upper end of the bar A, is preferably formed integral therewith and has an upstanding crank pin 36 at the outer end thereof. As most clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the crank member B is disposed above the bearing bracket C.

The retaining link D is in the form of a rod 01 bar having an enlarged eye portion 32 at the outer end thereof through which the staple member 33 is engaged. The staple member 33 is fixed to the car wall adjacent to the left hand side of the door opening 2|, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. The eye 32 of the link D has a loose fit with the staple 33 so that the eye may swivel freely on said staple. At the inner end, the link D is provided with an enlarged eye member 34, which is disposed in a horizontal plane, as clearly shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. The crank pin 3| of the crank member B is adapted to engage within the opening of the eye 34. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the opening of the eye 34 is of such a size as to permit a certain amount of play of the crank pin 3! therein. Upon reference to Figure 2, it will be seen that the ledge 29 of the supporting bracket C overhangs the link D when the crank member B is swung inwardly to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of the link from the crank pin when the door is closed.

The operating handle lever E is pivoted to a radial lug 35 on the operating shaft or bar A, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. The inner end of the handle lever E is forked, as indicated at 36, to receive said lug and is pivoted to the latter so as to swing in a vertical plane, whereby said handle lever E may be dropped to pendant position when the same is swung to a position at right angles to the plane of the door.

The housing F comprises a back plate 37 and a cover plate 38, said cover plate being formed with top, bottom, and side walls and having lateral flanges 39-39 at opposite sides thereof. The back plate 31 and cover plate 38 of the housing are secured together by rivets or any other well-known securing means extending through the flanges 39-39 of the cover plate, and through the back plate 37. The rivets or other securing elements, preferably, also extend through the door so as to fix the housing to the latter. The outer wall of the cover plate 38 is extended downwardly to provide a hooked-shaped portion 40, which has a channel 4| receiving the flange 25 of the bottom track 23. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, vertical play is provided between the flange 25' and the hooked-shaped member 49 to permit the necessary raising of the door as hereinafter pointed out. The upper wall of the housing F is provided with an opening 42 through which the lower end of the operating bar or shaft A extends. On the inner side of the outer Wall of the cover plate 38 of the housing F, a supporting bearing lug 43 is provided, which lug is in alinement with the opening 42 and has a cylindrical bearing seat 44 receiving the bottom end of the operating bar A.

The housing G is of substantially the same construction as the housing F, with the exception that the former is not provided with a supporting bearing lug similar to the lug 43 and that the outer wall of said housing is offset inwardly at the upper end thereof.

The roller supporting arm H, which is disposed within the housing F, is in the form of a casting having a forked bottom end portion 45 within which one of the rollers K is supported. As shown most clearly in Figures 2, '7, and 8, the forked portion 45 of the arm H is provided with trunnions 46-46 at opposite sides thereof, which are swiveled in bearing bosses 4'l4'l on the opposed Walls of the housing. The roller K is rotatably supported on a short shaft 48 extending through the hub of the roller and the prongs of the forked member 45. As shown in Figure 2, the bottom wall of the housing F is cut away so that the roller K may be projected through said bottom wall. The roller supporting arm H is further provided with a bearing opening or seat 49 extending therethrough, above the pivoted support of said arm.

In order to oscillate the arm H, the operating bar or shaft A is provided with a radially projecting lug 50, adjacent to the bottom end thereof, which engages within the bearing opening 49 of the arm H. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the back plate 31 of the housing F has an opening 51 formed therein to provide clearance for the outer end of the lug 50 during swinging movement of the latter from the position shown in Figure 10 to that shown in Figure 11.

The supporting arm J, which is swingingly mounted within the housing G, is of substantially the same design as the arm H, but is not provided with a bearing opening similar to the opening 49. The arm J carries the roller K at the bottom forked end thereof, said roller being rotatably mounted in the fork similarly to the roller K hereinbefore described in connection with the arm H.

The rod M, which connects the arms H and J, extends through the bottommost corrugation 24 of the door, as most clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The opposite ends of the rod M are flattened, as indicated at 5252. Each of said flattened portions 52 is provided with a transverse pivot pin opening 53. Each of the arms H and J is forked at the upper end, as indicated at 54, to receive the corresponding flattened end portion 52 of the connecting rod M. The opposite ends of the rod M are swiveled to the arms H and J by the means of pivot pins 5555 extending through the forks 54-54 and the corresponding pivot openings 5353 of the rod M. As will be evident, the side walls of the housings F and G, through which the connecting rod M extends, are provided with openings of suitable vertical height to permit the necessary up and down movement of the rod during oscillation of the arms H and J.

The door is also provided with the usual securing member 56 for locking the handle lever E in position when the door is closed, and said securing member may be sealed by the usual means which is common in railway practice.

The operation of my improved mechanism in opening the door is as follows: After the sealing means has been removed from the latch 56 and the latch disengaged from the handle E, the latter is swung outwardly away from the door, rotating the operating bar or shaft A from. the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4. During this rotation of the bar A, the crank member B will be swung so as to force the door partly open, as shown in Figure 4. During this rotation of the operating bar A, the lug 50 at the lower end thereof will swing from the position shown in Figures 9 and 10 to that illustrated in Figure 11, thereby swinging the roller supporting arm H from the position shown in Figure 8 to that illustrated in Figure 7. Inasmuch as the arms H and J are connected by the rod M, the arm J will also be moved from the position shown in Figure 8 to that illustrated in Figure 7. The two supporting rollers K-K will thus be projected outwardly of the housings, thereby supporting the door for rolling movement on the lower track 23. As will be evident from an inspection of Figures 7 and 8, the arms H and J in swinging from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure '7 will pass the dead center of the pivot trunnions of said arms, thereby retaining the supporting rollers K-K in their projected position. When the door has been forced open to the extent shown in Figure 4, the link D is disengaged from the crank member B by lifting the link upwardly. The door may then be pushed fully open by the attendant.

In closing the door, the same is slid to substantially the partly closed position shown in Figure 4, by the attendant, who may use the operating handle lever E for this purpose. The eye portion 34 of the link D is then engaged over the crank pin of the crank member B and the operating handle lever E is swung from the position shown in Figure to that illustrated in Figure 4, thereby camming the door tightly closed by the pulling action on the link D. Inasmuch as the inner end of the link D is disposed beneath the ledge 29 of the bracket C when the door is in the closed position shown in Figure 3, said link cannot be disengaged by unauthorized persons when the operating handle lever E is locked by the latch 56. During rotation of the operating shaft or bar A while the door is being forced to closed position, as hereinbefore described, rotation of the radial lug 50 at the bottom end of the shaft A will cause swinging movement of the arms H and J in a direction reverse to that hereinbefore described, thereby withdrawing the rollers from engagement with the lower track 23, thus permitting the lower edge of the door to seat on said track, as clearly shown in Figures 2, 5, and 8. Inasmuch as the door rests directly on the bottom track 23 when the door has been closed, movement of the door is also opposed by the frictional resistance between the bottom of the door and said track.

It is further pointed out that when the door has been. opened to any predetermined extent, after the link D has been disengaged from the crank member B, the operating handle lever E may be swung from the position shown in Figure 5 to that shown in Figure 4, thereby withdrawing the rollers from engagement with the lower track 23, as hereinbefore described, and seating the bottom of the door on said track. The frictional resistance between the door and bottom track 23 will then prevent accidental displacement of the door.

Fromv the preceding description taken in connection with drawings, it will-be evident that I have provided simple and efiicient operating mechanism whereby a sliding door may be forced tightly closed or pried partly open, which mechanism also controls the operation of the antifriction rollers which normally support the door for sliding movement, so that the rollers may be withdrawn from engagement with the cooperating track to lower the door and seat the same on said track. Further, the arrangement for displacing the rollers also provides means for holding the door in any degree of partly open position by withdrawal of the rollers from engagement with the bottom track and permitting the door to seat on said track.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a track; rollers on the door engageable with the track to support the door; mechanism for displacing the rollers with respect to the door to either project the rollers to engage said track and raise the door, or withdraw said rollers from the track and lower the door onto said track; means for either prying said door partly open or forcing the same tightly closed, said means including a member fixed to the car, an operating member mounted on the door for movement with respect to the door, and a link connecting said members and actuated by said operating member; and a manually operated device for simultaneously actuating said mechanism and means. 1

2. In a mechanism of the character described for efiecting forcible movement of a roller supported sliding door of a railway car, the combination with a link anchored on said car; of reversely movable operating means on the door engageable with said link and movable with respect to the door for moving said door in reverse sliding directions; reversely movable means connected to said operating means and actuated thereby for displacing said rollers outwardly and inwardly with respect to the door to either bring said rollers into operative door supporting position or withdraw said rollers from said position.

3. In a mechanism of the character described for effecting forcible movement of a sliding door having anti-friction means associated therewith adapted to support the door, the combination with a member anchored to the car; of movable operating means mounted'on the door for movement with respect to said door and engageable with said member to apply either a pulling or pushing action to said member for displacing said door to slide the same; means operatively connected to and actuated by said operating means for displacing said anti-friction means with respect to the door to either bring said antifriction means into operative door supporting position or withdraw the same from said position.

4. In a mechanism of the character described for effecting forcible sliding movement of a door having anti-friction means associated therewith adapted to support the door for said sliding movement, the combination with a link' anchored on said car; of a reversely movable operating means with which said link is engageable, said operating means being movable with respect to the door in said reverse directions to apply either pulling or pushing action to said link for slidingly moving said door in reverse directions; reversely movable means operatively connected to and actuated by said operating means for displacing said anti-friction means outwardly and inwardly with respect to the door to either bring said anti-friction means into operative door supporting position or withdraw said anti-friction means from said position.

5. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track; rollers engageable with the track for supporting the door; carriers on which said rollers are rotatably journaled, said carriers being movably mounted on the door for displacement outwardly and inwardly of the door; a link anchored on the car; movable actuating means on said door engageable with said link for forcibly moving said door to slide the same on said track; and means operatively connecting said actuating means and carriers to operate the latter to effect displacement thereof when said actuating means is operated to forcibly move the door.

6. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track; supporting arms movably mounted on the door; door supporting rollers journaled on said arms, said arms being movable outwardly and inwardly of the door; a movable actuating member on the door; a keeper fixed to the car; means on said actuating member engageable with the keeper to effect forcible movement of the door when said actuating member is operated; and means operatively connecting said actuating member and arms to operate the latter and effect displacement thereof with respect to the door to move said rollers outwardly and inwardly of the door.

7. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track; supporting arms swingably mounted on the door; rollers journaled on the outer ends of said arms, said arms being swingable outwardly and inwardly of the door to respectively bring said rollers into engagement with the track and withdraw the same therefrom; means connecting said arms to effect simultaneous swinging thereof; a manually actuated operating member rotatably supported on the door; means operatively connecting said member to said arms to swing the latter when said member is actuated; a link member secured to the car; and means on said rotatable operating member engageable with the link to effect sliding movement of the door when said member is actuated.

8. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track; supporting arms swingably mounted on the door; rollers journaled on the outer ends of said arms, said arms being swingable to two different positions to respectively project said rollers beyond the door to engage the track and withdraw the same from said track; means connecting said arms for simultaneous operation; a vertically disposed rotary operating bar on the door, said bar having an eccentric connection with one of said arms to swing the same; and a link secured to the car and having eccentric connection with said operating bar to effect opening and closing movement of the door when said bar is rotated.

9. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track; supporting arms pivoted between their ends on said door; rollers journaled on the outer ends of said arms, said arms being swingable to two different positions to respectively engage said rollers with the track and withdraw the same therefrom; a rod connecting the inner ends of said arms; a vertically disposed operating bar rotatably mounted on the door; an eccentric connection between said bar and the inner end of one of said arms for oscillating the latter; a crank member on said bar; and a link engageable with the crank member, said link being secured to the car.

10. In a sliding door construction for railway cars having a door opening, the combination with a door for closing said opening; of a supporting track below the door; supporting arms movably mounted on the lower portion of the door; door supporting rollers journaled on the lower ends of said arms, said lower ends of the arms being movable upwardly and downwardly to move said rollers inwardly within and outwardly beyond the bottom of the door; a movable actuating member on the door having keeper engaging means thereon displaceable with respect to the door; a keeper on the car adjacent to said door opening engageable by said means to effect forcible sliding movement of the door when said member is actuated; and means operatively connecting said actuating members and arms to operate the latter and effect displacement thereof to move said rollers upwardly and downwardly.

11. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track below the door; supporting arms swingingly supported on the lower portion of the door; rollers journaled on the lower ends of said arms, said arms being swingable to a position wherein said rollers are projected beyond the bottom of the door into engagement with the track and swingable in a reverse direction to a position to remove the rollers from the track upwardly beyond the bottom of the door; means connecting said arms to effect simultaneous swinging movement thereof; a manually actuated, vertically disposed, operating member rotatably supported on the door; means operatively connecting said member to one of said arms to swing the latter when said member is actuated; a link member swiveled to a fixed support on the car; and means on said rotatable operating member engageable with said link to efiect sliding movement of the door when said operating member is actuated.

12. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track below the door; supporting arms swingingly mounted on the lower portion of the door; rollers journaled on the lower ends of said arms, said arms being swingable to move the rollers from a position above the bottom of the door to a position projecting below said door and into supporting engagement with the track, and to return said rollers to said first named position; means connecting said arms for simultaneous operation; a vertically disposed operating bar rotatably mounted on the door, said bar having an eccentric connection at the lower end thereof with one of said arms; a link secured to the car; eccentric means at the upper end of said bar engageable with the link to move the door when said bar is rotated to efiect either opening or closing movement of the door.

13. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track below the door; supporting arms pivoted between their ends on the lower portion of the door; rollers journaled on the lower ends of said arms, said arms being swingable to either project the rollers below said door into supporting engagement with the track or withdraw said rollers from engagement with the track to a position above the bottom of the door to thereby permit said door to rest on the track; a rod connecting the upper ends of said arms; a vertically disposed rotary bar mounted on the door; an eccentric connection between said bar and one of the arms above the pivot of the latter; a crank member on the upper end of said bar, said crank member having a crank pin; and a link engageable by said crank pin, said link being pivotally secured to the car.

14. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with .a door; of a supporting track below the door; supporting rollers for the door guided on said track; means for lowering and raising said door torespectively support said door directly on the track and raise the same above said track to thereby render said rollers operative; an anchoring member fixed to the car; means movably mounted on the door and engageable with said anchoring member for forcing said door either partly open or completely closed; and manually operated mechanism operatively connected with both of said means for simultaneously actuating the latter.

15. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a supporting track below the door; a pair of roller supporting arms pivoted between their ends on the lower portion of said door; rollers journaled on said arms below the pivots thereof, said arms being movable to two different positions, the rollers being projected beyond the bottom edge of the door in one of said positions of the arms and being withdrawn above said bottom edge in the other position of said arms; a link pivoted at opposite ends to said arms respectively above the pivotal supports thereof; a vertically disposed rotary operating shaft supported on the door, said shaft having a radially projecting lug at the lower end thereof; and a bearing socket on one of said arms within which said radial lug is engaged, said bearing socket being disposed above the pivotal support of said arm.

16. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a track; rollers supporting the door on the track for sliding movement; mechanism for displacing said rollers inwardly with respect to the door to withdraw the same from the track and permit the door to seat on said track; fixed keeper means on the car; means mounted on the door and movable with respect to the same and engageable with said keeper means for forcing the door closed; and a single actuating member for simultaneously actuating said movable means and mechanism to move said door and withdraw the rollers from the track and permit said door to seat on the track.

1'7. In a sliding door construction for railway cars, the combination with a door; of a track on which said door is adapted to rest; rollers on the door arranged to be projected from the door to engage said track to lift the door from said track; operating means movable with respect to the door; fixed means on the car with which said movable means reacts for prying the door open; and means operatively connected to said operating means for displacing the rollers to project the same from the door into operative engagement with the track and lift said door free of said track.

18. In a mechanism of the character described for effecting forcible movement of a roller supported sliding door of a railway car, the combination with a link anchored on said car; of an actuating means mounted on the door and adapted for connection to said link, said actuating means being movable with respect to the door to apply either pulling or pushing action to said link to move the door lengthwise of the car; and means operatively connected to and actuated by said operating means for displacing said rollers with respect to the door to either bring said rollers into operative door supporting position or Withdraw said rollers from said position;

ROLAND J OLANDER. 

